New Beginnings
by claw06
Summary: Time Travel AU. Rickyl Slash. Summary Inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: After a major attack on the one the prison, our favorite group of survivors find themselves awakening almost nine years in the past, back when it all began.**

**AU: The never left the prison; Set eight years after first attack by the governor**

**Warnings: Mentions of Torture; M/M; Time-Travel; Death; Nice-r! Merle; Mentions of human experimentation; Violence; **

**Chapter One: Days go by**

The attack came just after sun down.

No one had been expecting it, yet they were all prepared for it. As soon as the first rumble shook the prison they ran out ready to defend their home.

Shots rang out all around them, the loud boom of the tank firing on the prison filling their ears. Carl felt his heart speed up, pounding a rapid tattoo in his chest as Daryl ran up to him dragging Judith behind him. The archer shoved the seven year old girl into his arms as gently as he could, his grey-blue eyes dark.

"Take 'er. Get 'er outta here."

The twenty one year old shook his head.

"What about you?"

Daryl shook his head sadly, one hand going to a bleeding gunshot wound in his abdomen.

"Been shot. Ain't gonna make it. Find Carol or Michonne an' get out. I'm gonna distract 'em so y'all can get out."

Carl swallowed, forcing back tears as he realized that the man that had been his 'mother' for over eight years wouldn't make it and not because of that stupid gunshot wound. Daryl's eyes softened, just slightly.

"Stop that. We'll see each other again, you'll see. Now go!" His piece said, the archer turned and ran back outside to fight. Carl ran the opposite way, sneaking out of a secret entrance they had created just for this purpose.

"Carl, is mama gonna die?"

Judith whispered softly, tears welling in her eyes.

Carl didn't respond, running faster as another rumble shook the prison. Debris rained down on them and a loud _BOOM _sounded. The building shook violently. He only had enough time to hear Judith cry out before the entire world went dark.

Daryl was confused.

Last he remembered he'd been behind Rick both of them fatally wounded but still shooting so that the others could escape in time. The governor had shot past them at the prison, sending debris flying before everything went dark. Now, however, he was lying in a very familiar tent, one he hadn't seen in almost nine years.

Everything was just as he remembered it right down to the four bags belonging to Merle sitting in the corner. He shivered, gasping as a blinding wave of agony shot through him, reminding him of the gunshot wound in his abdomen. The pain reassured him, allowing him to realize that he truly was in the tent he and his brother had shared at the quarry all those years ago. With gritted teeth the archer sat up and began to wrap his wound, absently noting that he still looked like he had at the prison, right down to his worn dark wash jeans, his trusty crossbow lying beside him. He was glad for that, still in slight disbelief over this entire thing. After all, he'd always believed that time travel was impossible yet here he was. Worry wormed its way into his mind.

Had anyone else come back?

Rick? Carl? Judith? Glen? Was he the only one?

He sure as hell hoped he wasn't. He didn't think he'd be able to handle it if his family wasn't there, not after- he cut that thought short. No, he couldn't- wouldn't think about that.

Throwing his shirt and vest back on, grabbed his crossbow and exited the tent.

Everything looked just as he remembered it, the RV, the tents, everything! It was overwhelming and for a moment all he could do was stare at it all in wonder. It had been so _long _since he'd seen most of these people. Dale, Amy, Jim, Jacqui, so many people who had died before the end of that first year.

He noticed Carol sitting by the fire with Sophia in her arms, watching him with a strange look in her eyes and he realized with a jolt that she was the same Carol from the night before. He moved over to the fire and took a seat beside her, the other campers sending him a surprised, suspicious look.

"Finally decided to leave that tent of yours?" Amy teased and Daryl frowned not used to speaking to anyone outside of the family he'd helped create at the prison and even then it had taken him almost two years to get comfortable enough to tease him playfully without fearing him yelling or getting offended. Still he tried not to bristle at the harmless question and Carol sent him a worried glance.

"Just needed a change in scenery is all." The blonde let out a surprised laugh while Carol giggled quietly. Dale snorted as did Shane.

"Bout time. Thought you was gonna hide in there til that brother of yours got back or til it was time fer ya to go huntin." The former cop said and Daryl glanced at him, then shrugged, hate flashing in his eyes. This was the man that had almost killed Rick. The man whose death had almost broken his husband and he wasn't in the least bit happy to see him.

Lori walked over to join them and Daryl truly had to keep himself from lunging at the woman who had fucked up his husband's mind. Due to her it had taken almost a year for Rick to fully acknowledge Judith as anything but the cause of his wife's death and the result of her torrid affair with Shane. During that time he had left most of Judith and Carl's care in Daryl's hands and it had led to a rift forming between Carl and his father that had never healed. Forcing himself to remain calm he sent Carol a significant look and stood.

"I'm going hunting." He said stiffly before turning and storming off into the woods.

Maybe his mind would finally settle itself after went hunting.

Rick scowled darkly as him, Morgan, Duane, T-Dog, Glenn, Andrea, and Merle stood on the roof of a very familiar building, the latter yelling and waving his gun around. The former cop had been on edge since awakening in his hospital room almost three days earlier, a hospital room he hadn't been in in nearly nine years.

Luckily he hadn't been in the pathetically weak and dehydrated body from before, instead he was in the war hardened body he'd been living with right down to the gunshot wound in his gut and too long curls falling to his shoulders. Even his clothes were the same as they had been when the prison attack had begun.

He'd immediately ditched his soiled clothes, dressing in the change of clothes that had been left at his bedside. Then he had raided the hospital for food and medicine and left. Once he'd finished he'd gone to his house and raided it, meeting Duane and Morgan along the way. Afterwards he and Morgan had rescued the group from the hardware store just as they had remembered. Now they stood on the fateful rooftop watching Merle rant and rave waving his gun in the air like a lunatic.

So the question was: handcuff him and leave him like he had last time, or save him somehow and let him continue being a danger to others.

Honestly it shouldn't even have been a question, but somehow in his gut he knew that he hadn't been the only one sent back in time and he knew that if that was true then his husband had come back and he would be pissed if they knowingly left Merle behind.

Rick grimaced and Glenn snickered quietly.

"Thinkin' bout the asskickin' we'll get if we leave the stupid bastard here?"

The former officer glanced at the young asian sharply, then chuckled. Of course Glenn would've been sent back. His surrogate little brother would never leave him and Daryl to do this alone.

"Yeah. Daryl'd kill me, wait for me to turn then kill me again."

Glenn snorted. "He'd kill me first, just to make you suffer and you know Carl'll help 'im."

Rick nodded and turned his gaze back to the ranting lunatic that was his brother in law.

"Hey, Glenn was telling me that you have a younger brother back at your camp."

Merle fell silent, his grey eyes glinting dangerously with protective fury.

"What of 'im?"

"If you don't stop making noise and attracting attention I'm gonna hand cuff you to that pipe over there. Then if you continue to be a threat to the group I'm gonna shove my knife through the base of yer skull and leave you for the walkers. You wouldn't want your brother to lose the only family he has in this world, would you?" Rick replied calmly, but his eyes were cold icy chips.

Merle stared at him then to the surprise of everyone present he let out a loud full-bellied chuckle.

"Alrigh' then, Officer Friendly. Le's do this yer way."

The former cop stared at him for a moment then nodded and set about making a plan.

Morgan and Glenn would distract the walkers with the police cruiser and the little red car while everyone else would hope in the van and head out the city. Then they would all meet up just outside the city and head back to the camp together.

Glenn and Rick shared a look as everyone moved to execute their part of the plan.  
This time things would be different.

They had been given a second chance and they weren't going to waste it.

**TBC…**

Page | 4

3/25/2015 8:53:39 PM


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Judith will be around eight here so just warning you that I am not a very big Lori fan and she isn't actually needed since Judith is already there so she is liable to die **

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Walking Dead. If I did it would have more Rickyl moments.**

**Chapter Two**

"-arl, wake up! Wake up! You shrunk!"

Carl jolted awake as his little sister's panicked voice invaded his sleep, his face nearly colliding with the tearful one of the blond girl. Her blue eyes were wide and tears were streaming down her face even though she was holding onto the small crossbow she'd been given by Daryl on her seventh birthday as if it were her lifeline. He grabbed her gently and focusing more on calming her than on the fact that his hands and arms were a lot shorter than he was used to.

"Sh, Judy. Sh. Calm down." He soothed stroking her hair and she shook her head.

"I can't find Ma and Pa, Carl, and there are a lot of strange people out there! Some lady came knockin' on tha tent a few minutes ago calling fer ya, but she didn't sound like Auntie Carol or Bethy or Maggie or that nice ol' lady in cell block C and-"

Carl frowned and looked around, trying to figure out where they were so that he could maybe find a clue on who the people his sister was talking about were. They were in a large spacious tent, both of them sitting on one of the two sleeping bags inside. In the corner there was an open suitcase full of women's laundry and with a start he realized that he was in the tent he'd shared with his birth mother at the quarry almost nine years ago. He inhaled sharply and looked down at Judy who was staring at him with wet eyes. It couldn't be possible! It couldn't have been _her_, he'd pulled the trigger himself on that fateful day so long ago. He shook his head. He had to stay calm for Judith.

"We need to find Ma. He'll know what's going on." He murmured and she nodded, calmer now, her little face twisted into a serious expression that he just knew she had taken from Daryl. He withheld a snicker, noting that she seemed a bit smaller. Instead of nine, she looked about six or seven and he was suddenly reminded of what she'd said to wake him up.

"Judy, you said I shrunk. How old do I look now?"

"You ain't a grown up no more," She began, studying him keenly. "Yer bout Andy's age."

Carl groaned. Andy was the child of one of the Woodbury citizens. He was a small fifteen year old, only 5'4, with mousy brown eyes and long blond hair that he wore in a neat tail. That meant that whatever had sent them from the Prison had deaged both him and Judy by a few years or so.

The sound of cars approaching the camp drew his attention and he frowned, reaching for the gun he always kept in his holster. Luckily it was there and- he checked the chamber and grinned-it was fully loaded.

"C'mon, le's go see what's going on."

His little sister nodded and unstrapped her crossbow, the tension in her tiny shoulders leaving ever so slightly now that the familiar weight was in her hands.

Keeping his hand near his gun, exited the tent and gaped in surprise.

Somehow even though he had completely expected to be in the quarry it had still shocked him immensely, especially as he took in all the familiar yet unfamiliar faces around the camp.

Luckily they had yet to have noticed him, most of them gathered near the front of the camp watching what appeared to be a reunion between his birth mother, his father, and Shane. He stared at them for a moment before Judith appeared at his side.

"Carl, who's that cryin' lady all over daddy?"

Carl snorted.

"That's our birth mother."

Judy frowned at him, her brow furrowing in a way eerily reminiscent of Daryl's own.

Their father hugged the woman back awkwardly before allowing his eyes to roam the camp. When his eyes landed on them, he grinned and raced past her, pulling them into a bone crushing hug, careful of Judith's bow.

"Daddy!" The six year old cried, her frown melting away.

"Judy! Carl! You're here!" He whispered roughly, voice choked with emotion and he pulled back briefly to look at them.

"Daryl?"

Carl shrugged. "Pro'ly huntin'. 'Member that's what he was doing the first time around."

He replied leaning into his father's embrace, happy to have most of his family back together. Of course then his mother and Shane had to ruin it.

"Daddy? Rick what's going on?!" Lori shrieked angrily, Shane standing next her nodding in agreement.

Rick glanced at them for a moment and pulled away from his children to survey the group before him for _his _people. Carol nodded from where she stood a little ways away, Sophia not too far from her. Other than his children, Carol and Glenn, he knew of only one person that should be with them at this point in time but _wasn't. _ His heart sank.

Why wasn't Daryl there? Would he remember? He sure as hell hoped he would, his heart wouldn't survive if his husband wasn't there with him.

"Rick!" Lori yelled at him, but before he could answer he heard the voice his ears had been yearning for.

"Goddamn Walker! Takin' my fuckin' deer! I'm gonna stomp yer ass!"

Glenn snickered, listening as his friend stomped in the head of the walker munching on his deer.

"Ya alrigh' there, Daryl?"

The archer glared at him, not even noticing the heated blue eyes focused on his lean muscular frame.

"Stupid bitch ate my deer! Think if I cut around it-"

"You know it will."

Daryl pouted, just enough for those who knew him well enough then turned around and stomped down hard on the deer's head.

Carol and Glenn laughed, as did Carl. Daryl flipped them the bird then turned to their audience. Everyone was staring at them in shock, or, in the case of Lori and Shane, anger.

"What the hell was that?!" Merle yelled, frowning at his younger brother whose eyes strayed to him and widened slightly. A torrent of emotions flashed in those stormy grey-blue eyes the most prominent being shock and guilt. Merle's frown deepened.

Why would Daryl be feeling shocked at the sight of him when they'd just seen each other a few days ago? As sudden as the emotions came they vanished and Daryl pursed his lips and looked at the others. His breath hitched as his eyes landed on Rick and his children and a small smile crossed his lips. Both children grinned back, pulling away from their father to run over to him and tackle him into a hug.

"Ma!"

"Stop callin' me that!" The reply wasn't very convincing, especially given the widening of the archer's smile.

Merle gaped at the children watching as his little brother embraced both children as if they were his own, yet he knew for a fact they weren't, they couldn't have been Daryl's because the man had never gone out with a woman in his life. Normally Daryl avoided anyone other than him like the plague yet here he was being buddy buddy with the chinaman and holding on to Officer Friendly's kids like lifelines.

Then Merle noticed the changes.

This Daryl was definitely not the same one he'd left behind three days previous. His hair was too long, brushing the top of his shoulder and partially covering his face, his body while still lean, was more muscular and his grey eyes were hard as steel, full of the same protectiveness that he normally saw on Queenie's face when she looked at her son. Then there was his crossbow. It looked more worn than it had when the younger man had cleaned it a few nights ago although it was still well cared for. All in all this Daryl looked…older, almost Merle's own age.

The archer pulled away from the embrace and swung the girl up onto his hip with practiced ease before turning back to the group watching him.

Lori glared at him then at her husband.

"_Mom?! _Rick what the hell!"

Officer Friendly's face darkened and he glared at her.

"Are you trying to get my children killed?" He snarled at her. "Lower your voice before you draw every walker in the damn county to our location."

"Rick, they don't _know. _Calm yer ass down." Daryl snapped at the former officer and the man scowled but nodded walking over to him.

"What happened?"

"I don' know. Woke up here a few days ago an' left to go huntin'."

"Whataya mean ya woke up here? Ya been here for weeks now! What don't we know?!"

"Yeah, what's going on, Rick? Daryl? How do you know each other?" Shane asked stepping up beside the angry wife of his best friend.

"An' why do Officer Friendly's kids call you mom?" Merle added.

Rick pursed his lips and stared at the gathering of people. Carol and Glenn moved to stand beside him and Daryl, standing united behind their leader.

"It's your call, Rick." The latter reminded him.

He nodded but continued to stare at those they had lost so long ago, a sudden realization hitting him. These people weren't his family. They weren't the people he'd bled for, bled with, they weren't the people who had survived in hell with him for almost a decade. No, these were the people who had died too early to see what could be, to see just how bad humanity would become. These people were too complacent, too weak and they wouldn't survive if they continued on as they had. He had to take charge. He had to keep his family safe in this group of strangers that just happened to be people they'd once known.

His gaze snapped to Glenn.

"Set up a perimeter. We need to get out of here soon."

The former pizza man nodded and took off to do as he was bid.

He turned to Daryl, Judith, and Carl.

"Take watch. If anything happens send Judy to me. I'm gonna explain some things to this group."

His archer nodded and ushered their children toward the RV with nary a sound. Merle stared after them as if he were tempted to follow but his curiosity won out and he followed Rick and Carol as they led the others to the now cool fire pit. They all took a seat around it and gave the two their undivided attention. Just as Rick opened his mouth to speak, Glenn joined them, anxiously twisting a slim gold band around his finger.

"Perimeter's clear. Judy, Daryl, and Carl got eyes on all sides."

"Good."

Lori scowled. "Carl shouldn't be doing that! He's just a little boy! And that little girl can't be any older than six!"

"He's seen more than you'll ever realize! And Judy is more than skilled enough to help them! Now shut up so I can explain!"

His ex-wife's mouth closed with an audible snap and he took a deep breath.

"Now, I know this is gonna sound crazy but I need y'all to understand that there's no way I can make any of this up." The former cop paused. "Carol, Judy, Carl, Glenn, Daryl and I are from the future."

**TBC…**

**A/N: So I don't feel too hot about this chapter and I rewrote about fifty fucking times trying to get it how I wanted. I don't know how well it came out so please feel free to click the review button and tell me what you think. NO FLAMES! I cannot stress this enough! Flames are ignorant as hell and be responded to with extreme belligerence on my part. **

5 | Page

3/26/2015 12:52:33 PM


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Still don't own.**

**Chapter Three**

"_Now, I know this is gonna sound crazy but I need y'all to understand that there's no way I can make any of this up." The former cop paused. "Carol, Judy, Carl, Glenn, Daryl and I are from the future."_

Immediately the group began to protest, Shane, Lori, and Carol's husband Ed, the most vocal of them all. Lori was glaring at him as she screeched about how he was insane and that he was poisoning their son's mind. Shane was standing and ranting about how he was hallucinating and that obviously the wound he'd suffered before everything that happened was affecting his mind, his dark alight with a slight glint of manic and Ed was standing in front of Carol yelling in her face that she was obviously lying and using time-travel as an excuse to hide the _obvious _affair she was having with "that stupid red neck". As they yelled the three time travelers watched them calmly. Merle, Dale, Andrea, Morgan, Duane, and the Morales family were also protesting in clear disbelief.

"Mama, is that why I keep having dreams about being in a barn with a bunch of the zombies?"

Everyone froze and looked at Sophia. Carol swallowed painfully.

"How does the dream go, honey?"

"Well, we were all on a highway somewhere and the walkers found us. We all tried to hide under the cars but one was about to get me and Mr. Grimes took me into the woods to a safe place and told me to wait until someone came to get me. When he left, though, I heard one of the walkers and I got scared and ran."

A sob left the girl's mother and Rick looked away guiltily. Glenn bit his lip and looked down all of them remembering how long they had searched for the girl and the pain they all went through when they'd had to shoot the walker she'd become.

"When I was running I dropped my dolly and I tried to go back for it but the walker got me. Then a tall man came and killed it and led me to a barn. He told me he was gonna find a way to make it better then he put me inside and locked the doors. Then it got all hazy. But I now sometime after that I was shot and I died."

Carol gave a soft grief filled sound and Rick cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Your dream is…correct. The man that saved you was a man named Otis and he died only a day or so after he found you."

Sophia nodded and looked down.

"Did I die too?"

"Yes." Her mother whispered hoarsely and Ed glared at her.

"You lying bitch!" He snarled raising his hand to hit her.

Carol caught his hand, her wet eyes hard and glittering with a darkness that was reflected in the eyes of the other two time travelers beside her.

"Don't _ever _raise your hand to me or my daughter again. If you do, I won't be able to save you from the bolt Daryl has aimed between your eyes."

Everyone turned to where the archer and the two children were perched on top of the RV. True to the woman's word the archer had his crossbow trained on the Peletier man, his bolt lined directly between his eyes. Fear flashed in Ed's eyes and he yanked his hand away from his wife with a glare to cover it up.

Carol smirked at him and Merle snorted.

"Darleena won' shoot no human."

Glenn smirked, as did Rick. "He will if you threaten his family, especially Judy and Carol."

"Judy? The little girl?" Andrea questioned.

Carol nodded. "Those two have a bond stronger than anything on this planet. Nobody gets between him and his Lil Asskicker, not even Rick."

Lori scowled at the reminder of the unknown little girl.

"Who's child is that, Rick?"

"She's mine."

The woman glared at him. "You cheated in me in that 'future' of yours?" She sneered and he bared his teeth in a snarl.

"No. But you cheated on me! Even before all this happened you and Shane were sleeping together behind my back and when I went into a coma you started doing it publicly under the guise of 'comforting' each other after my 'death'."

"Hey!" Merle yelled, fed up with all the side discussions taking place. His little brother wasn't the same man he'd known for years and he wanted, no, he needed to know why. Officer Friendly, Officer Prick and Queenie's little soap opera would have to wait.

"Will somebody please explain what the fuck is goin' on? You said y'all was from the future, but none of us came back wit' y'all. Why is that?"

Officer friendly sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"In the time we're from, nine years have passed since this whole outbreak started. Most of y'all didn't even make it through the first year. Merle, Dale, and Andrea were the only ones that lived past that year and even Dale and Andrea died shortly into that second one."

"What about me?" Merle asked curiously and the time travelers' eyes flashed.

"In our time you died about three years ago."

The ex-con whistled lowly and Rick continued on speaking.

"We were living in the Meriwether county prison with some other people when we were attacked by a man known as _The Governor."_ Venom coated the officer's words as he spoke and Glenn flinched a quick glance flashing up to the top of the RV.

"He had attacked us twice before but years had passed since we'd last heard of him so we'd been hoping that he was dead."

"That doesn't explain that little girl or why she and Carl call Dixon 'mama'."

"Judith is our daughter, yours and mine. In my time you died giving birth to her and I became a bit unhinged." Rick explained, his eyes softening slightly. "Daryl took care of her and Carl until I was able to function again. It took me a year to acknowledge Judith as anything other than the thing that took you away from me and by then both her and Carl had taken to calling Daryl mama. I'm not exactly sure how it came to that but I do know that there is _nothing _he wouldn't do for them. He helped me finally acknowledge that Judy was my baby girl and now I wouldn't trade her for anything."

"Where was I?" Shane asked and his best friend's cerulean gaze moved to him, dark and predatory.

"Dead."

"How?"

"I killed you."

The color drained from his face at his best friend's soft admission, his dark eyes wide.

"W-what?"

"You- you lost your mind after I returned, angry that I was taking what you perceived as yours. _My _family became _yours _and when I was discovered not to be dead the affair you were having with Lori ended. Carl had his father back and he stopped coming to you for everything and you became bitter and angry. In fact only a few weeks from now you would try to kill me but I kill you first."

"I-I wouldn't do that!" The other male yelled in denial, trembling and Rick sighed.

"Shane, you're my brother, my best friend. Killing you…it nearly broke me." His voice broke then hardened, his eyes cold.

"So **don't** give me a reason to kill you."

His friend flinched back violently then nodded rapidly, afraid of this newer Rick.

"You said nine years have passed in your time but your son looks about fourteen." Morales noted and Carol giggled.

"Whatever brought us here, it deaged both Carl and Judith. Carl just hit his 21st birthday and Judy is eight. Daryl's probably gonna tease poor Carl senseless."

Glenn snickered. "Just wait till Ma-" He trailed off and looked down with a sad sigh, twisting a slim gold band around his finger and the woman placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. If we got sent back I pretty sure they did too. If not y'all will still find a way to be together. Ya always do."

He nodded and smiled at her, while his leader sent him a reassuring glance.

"Speakin' of Darleena. Y'all seemed awfully friendly with each other, Officer Friendly. He yer bitch now since Queenie slept with Officer Prick? Cuz I ain' gonna let that fly. Don' no body use my lil' brother."

Rick's face softened and he glanced up at the RV holding his lover and their children.

"He's my husband as of six years ago."

Lori gave a wordless shriek of rage.

"You married that disgusting, filthy, mangy, racist Red-neck whore!"

Carol jumped to her feet her own eyes blazing while Rick froze wide eyed. Glenn jumped to his feet too, all of them remembering the last person to call Daryl a whore. The man had nearly broken their archer and it had taken them forever to put him back together and make him believe that he wasn't the whore he'd been told he was.

"Don't you _ever _call our brother that again, you worthless, useless, conniving bitch!" Carol snarled at her and Merle nodded in agreement grabbing Lori's arm roughly.

"The only person allowed to insult Darleena is _me_. Keep yer thoughts to yerself, Queenie." He growled and she flinched turning her gaze onto _her_ husband hoping he'd save her. Instead he shook his head silently and stood.

"Go pack your things. I know a safe place, but we need to leave in the dawn to reach it during the daylight."

"Who put you in charge?" Ed sneered and the former cop didn't bother to glance at him.

"Have you survived nearly a decade in this world? No? Then shut up and do as you were told."

**TBC…**

**A/N: So…what do you guys think?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Holy crap the season finale was AWESOME! I nearly had a heart attack when-mmph. … Anyways, I wasn't very satisfied with how chapter three of this story came out despite writing it over and over again so I decided to write chapter four and hope it turned out better. Tell me when you think.**

**Chapter 4**

Shane had always picture the day that Rick returned as a day of rekindled brotherhood and hope, full of happiness and love. Even more so after the apocalypse began. He'd hoped with all his heart that Rick would somehow survive despite being a coma and he had. However, now as he watched Rick and Carl speak beside the fire in soft heated tones he couldn't help but be slightly bewildered. He couldn't believe that these were the same people he'd known for years, not with the darkness in their eyes and the wariness in their gait.

Rick wasn't the gentle, slightly too caring man he remembered. He was colder, harshened by the world they now lived in. Not to mention that for him the world had been this way for almost a decade. He'd had to harden himself to protect his family, which was something Shane could understand.

"_I killed you." _Those words, so softly spoken, so cold, had nearly broken Shane's heart and it had taken everything in him not to beg Rick for a different explanation, to plead that he would never do something like that.

"Dad, She doesn't know where the farm is!" Carl snapped, drawing him from his thoughts and he watched as Rick sighed softly.

"Carl… we don't even know where she was at this time."

"Who?" Shane asked quietly and his friend glanced at him.

"Our swordsman and Daryl's second."

Lori frowned, still angry about the fact that _her _husband and son seemed closer to the redneck archer than they'd ever been to her. Even though they had tried to explain that she'd been dead in their time for a long time, she still couldn't believe that they'd dishonored her memory by making her babies call someone else mom and allowing someone else to marry _her _man. Then there was the fact that Carl had barely acknowledged her existence since he'd returned from watch with his little sister, almost twenty minutes earlier. Instead he'd spent the first five minutes trying to convince the younger Dixon brother to rest (and failing as the man was still atop the RV) and the other fifteen arguing with Rick about some woman named Michonne.

Having had enough she cut into the argument.

"Why does Dixon need a second? I thought you were the leader." She sneered. As if her weak willed husband could be the leader of _anything._

He spared her a cold look and Carl glared at her.

"Dad is the leader, then its Daryl, then Michonne. We also have a council to help out in important decisions. The council consists of Dad, Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, Carol, Maggie, and Hershel. Hopefully they got sent back to. I really don't wanna have to get shot again to get us an invite to the farm."

"You were shot?!" Lori shrieked and Carl nodded.

"Yea, when I was twelve. It wasn't that long from now actually. Only about a month or so."

The woman rounded on Rick furious, her green eyes blazing.

"You let my son get shot?!"

The other people in the quarry turned their gaze onto the angry woman, then to Rick in shock. The ex-cop seemed to care for his children more thaan anything in the world so they couldn't imagine him letting one of them get hurt. Surprisingly, the man remained calm. It was as if the reaction was expected, and from the way Lori normally acted it probably was.

"It was a hunting accident. We were searching for Sophia when we came across a deer. Before we could leave, someone shot it. The bullet went straight through and hit Carl in the abdomen. Hershel owned a farm near by and was the closest thing there was to a doctor so he fixed him up and gave him a blood transfusion." He explained and everyone nodded.

"Rick." Greeted a calm, unfamiliar voice and Carl spun around, grinning widely.

"Michonne!" He cried tackling the newcomer, a tall dark-skinned woman with long elbow length dreads and a beautifully crafted Katana.

She smiled and hugged the teen back, ruffling his hair gently.

"You shrunk, Kid."

He scowled at her. "I know. Judy did too."

She snorted, then turned her gaze back to Rick who clasped her on the shoulder in greeting.

"How'd you find us?"

Michonne shrugged. "Remembered you guys talking about this place. Woke up in my old home in Atlanta and found my son eating my husband's corpse and headed to the first place I could think of. Where's Daryl? Did he make it back?"

Rick nodded his head in the direction of the RV, where Daryl sat with his keen gaze focused on the forest. Michonne sighed, then gazed at all the others.

"So this is your original group, huh?" She said, fighting to keep her gaze moving when she noticed Andrea and Merle among them. She had never gotten over Andrea's death, especially since she had been in love with the other woman at the time, and she still felt partially responsible for Merle's death, especially when she found out that Daryl had been the one to put him down after he became a walker. It had nearly shattered the archer and it was only his strong will and Judith that had kept him moving past the pain of losing the man that had been his world before everything.

"Yep. This is Amy, Andrea, Dale, Jim, ED, Morales, Shane, Lori, Maria, Emily, Merle, and Sophia. And of course you know Glenn and Carol having lived with them for almost a decade. Everyone this is Michonne."

Merle frowned at her, his steel grey eyes inspecting her carefully.

He had seen the guilt that flashed in her eyes when she'd looked at him. It was the same as the guilt he'd seen in Daryl's eyes when he looked at him, just not as strong. It made him wonder if she'd had anything to do with his death like he suspected Daryl did. He looked up at his baby brother, who had yet to have moved from atop the RV, where he'd hours earlier. The little girl, Judith was up there with him, her head lying in his lap. He noticed that every once in a while, the younger man would glance down at the camp with unease clear in his eyes, then turn his gaze back onto the forest, his entire body wrought with tension.

It made him wonder, what, exactly was going through his brother's mind.

What was making Daryl so uneasy?

He pursed his lips. He didn't know, but as the other campers headed into their tents to rest he vowed to himself that he would find out.

**TBC…**


	5. Chapter 5

_**5/19/2015 8:03:21 AM**_

**Chapter Five**

"Papa! Papa wake up!"

Penny?

No, it couldn't be. His precious little girl was gone, killed by that blasted samurai bitch. So who-

"_Papa!"_

His one good eye shot open and his hand shot out to grab the tiny hand shaking him insistently.

He froze.

Long dark blond hair, wide sea blue eyes, and a small petite frame clothed in a beautiful white sun dress.

Penny.

Tears filled his eye and he pulled the child into a tight embrace, stoking her hair as if he were afraid to let her go.

She was alive. She was _alive!_

"Daddy, are you okay?"

He nodded and pulled away, kissing her forehead gently. "What did you need, sweetie?"

"I want a mommy." She whispered shyly. "A lot of the other kids have a mommy to make them clothes an' stuff and comfort them when they see the biters. I want one too."

He pursed his lips, and stood, glancing out the window at his town below. He remembered her asking the same thing the first time around but he hadn't been able to fulfill it because she'd been bitten the inly hours later in an attack on the town. This time he would make sure she lived so he could give her what she wanted. After all, his little girl deserved the best things in life.

A slow, dangerous smirk crossed his lips and a pair beautiful storm grey eyes full of pain and fear flashed behind his eyelids.

Yes, she deserved only the very best.

"What the hell is goin' on with ya?"

Daryl started and glanced over at Merle before turning his attention back to the road.

They'd awakened at dawn that morning and packed up the camp before hitting the road hoping to reach Hershel's farm by that evening. He had suspected that Merle was either worried or curious, perhaps a mix of both but the older man hadn't said anything until now, just biding his time and observing him in furtive glances when he thought he couldn't see him. When an hour had passed, then another, with only a few small complaints and Merle's rambling, Daryl had relaxed, hoping in vain that the other man would just leave him be but obviously Merle had other plans.

"Well?" His brother pressed when he refused to speak and he sighed.

"Shut the fuck up, Merle. Ain't nothin' ya gotta worry 'bout."

Merle glared at him.

"Ain't nothin' ya gotta worry 'bout." He mocked. "Now why don't ol' Merle believe ya?" His voice softened to that protective big brother tone that only Daryl was privileged to hear from him. "Talk to me Daryl."

Daryl bit his lip. When Merle used that tone it always got to him and even though his brother had been dead to him for years, it still worked. He only used it when he was truly worried about him and it made Daryl feel like if he just told him everything then Merle would make it all better. It was the voice of his childhood hero and the only person in the world that knew him better than his husband.

"Y'all are dead." He whispered softly and Merle's brow furrowed.

"I know, Sheriff Rick explained that last night."

The archer shook his head. "Y'all are dead. _You _were dead. He killed ya and you were gone. You left me an' I had to kill ya."

Merle stiffened, his heart aching as he realized what his brother was saying.

He'd turned.

Someone had killed him and he'd turned so _Daryl _had been the one to put him down after he became a walker.

That was the reason for the guilty stares and the pain in his brother's gaze every time their eyes met. It was the reason why Daryl had been avoiding him and doing all that he could to not have to speak to him. He was thinking about the future he'd come from where Merle had left permanently this time. Not for another stint in jail or a drug binge but because he'd died.

"Shit." He murmured and Daryl snorted dryly.

"That's not all of it. What else?"

The younger man's jaw clenched, but he said nothing more, focusing his gaze on the road stubbornly. Merle growled in frustration, sensing that the conversation was over and knowing that his baby brother was still hiding something. Something big.

He thought about pushing the younger man further but decided against it knowing that Daryl was liable to get violent when cornered. He'd let the matter lie for now, but one thing was for sure.

He wouldn't make Daryl suffer through having to put him down again.

"We should be reaching the farm soon."

Carol commented, pulling Sophia closer as they reached the car jammed highway they'd lost her on last time. Rick nodded and gestured for the other cars to stop as they came upon a roadblock of cars. The other cars stopped and Michonne looked around with a nod.

"We need to raid the cars. Find out if there are supplies."

Rick nodded and exited the car. The others did so as well and Daryl approached them with a slight frown.

"I'm gonna scout ahead to the farm an' see if the old man an' the girls are there. Judith, Glenn, are coming with me."

Merle scowled.

"An' what? I'm jus' gonna stay here with Officer Prick and Officer Friendly?"

Daryl rolled his eyes and Rick snickered.

"At least there are no rooftops." He taunted and his husband rolled his eyes while Merle frowned.

"Behave. All o' ya."

Carl scowled. "Why do I have to stay here?"

"Cuz I need someone to keep an eye on Merle." The deaged boy crossed his arms, while Merle made an indignant sound.

"Dad can do it."

"Don' need no babysitter." The man protested.

Daryl smirked, ignoring his brother. "Then who'll keep him in line?"

Carl huffed in annoyed acceptance while Rick pouted.

"I'm not that bad."

"Shut up, Rick. Carl you can go wit', me huntin' when we get to tha farm. Alright. Jus' me an' you."

The teen sighed. "Fine."

Nodding to his adoptive son, he turned and headed into the forest with Glenn and Judith close behind him.

Once he was gone, Lori spoke.

"Carl, honey, why don't you wanna stay here. Aren't you happy to see us?"

Her son pursed his lips and turned away from her. "We need to look for supplies." He muttered softly, walking away without answering her question.

"He's right. Everyone, form groups of three and start checking the cars. Sophia, stay close to Carl or your mother."

Hershel's brow furrowed worriedly as he stood on his front porch, his blue gaze searching as her stared into the forest surrounding his property.

A week had passed since he and his daughters had awakened in the past and he'd spent every day watching the forest hoping to see Rick or Daryl or anyone from their group in the prison pass the tree line. He knew that if the others had been sent back as well then they would head his way, so that they could at least regroup and head for the prison and get it before The Governor even thinks of it. He had even taken the liberty of clearing the walkers from the barn and explaining to his remaining family that the people in the barn were dead and that they were doing them a disservice by locking them there. Maggie and Beth had backed him up and had helped him put them down and bury them in the pasture. Now they were simply waiting for their family to arrive.

A bush rustled somewhere on his far right and Maggie was at his side in an instant, her gun raised. Both of them sighed in relief as a familiar rough voice reached their ears.

"Stop pointin' that damn thing at me, woman."

Daryl.

Hershel grinned brightly, watching as his surrogate son stepped out of the forest with his son in law and granddaughter.

"Took ya long enough to get here, son." He rumbled and Daryl shrugged, flinching when he was pulled into a hug.

"I was jus' scoutin' ahead to let ya know we was coming. We gone lead the others here in an hour or so."

The elderly man nodded, smiling as Maggie and Glenn embraced each other tightly and whispered sweet nothings in each other's ears. "What about Michonne? She wasn't with y'all when y'all came through last time."

Daryl smirked.

"She found us, actually. She's wit' Rick an' the others now." His eyes softened. "Merle is too."

Hershel smiled, his heart warming for the man. Even with all the bad things he'd heard and seen from Merle Dixon, He still respected the man for taking on the governor alone to save his baby brother. He could still remember Daryl's broken sobs when he'd found a small bag full of Merle's things when they'd been cleaning out his cell, a few days after his death. The young hunter had been nearly catatonic and hadn't responded to anything, unless it was from Rick. In the end, he'd locked it all up inside and forced himself to carry on. Hershel still couldn't figure out how he'd done it, but he hadn't questioned it.

"Ya wanna come in and rest?"

Daryl shook his head. "I'm gonna head back an' lead the group over. Glenn, Lil Asskicker, start setting up camp."

Judith yawned but frowned. "No. Wanna go wit' you."

Shaking his head once more the hunter kneeled. "I need ya here. Can ya set up camp for me?"

She nodded solemnly and kissed him on the cheek.

"Stay safe, mama."

"I will."

This said, he gave them all a short nod, then vanished back into the forest, with nary a sound. Hershel sighed, and led Judith inside, praying that Daryl reached the others safely, despite knowing it was unneeded. Only one person could harm Daryl Dixon and fortunately, that man was either dead or stuck in the future…

If only he'd known how wrong he was.

**TBC…**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:Lori is a bitch, the Governor is on the prowl, and Daryl and Beth are...singing?**

**Also Idk how old Beth is but in my story she's around Seventeen when they go back in time. She's 27 in the future.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Chapter Six **

Daryl arrived back at the highway just after sunset to his husband pacing in front of the RV while the others sorted through the supplies they'd managed to get from the cars. He noted with some relief that everyone seemed to be in one piece and that little Sophia was still with the group sticking close to her mama.

"We good?" Rick questioned, puling him into a chaste kiss. The archer frowned briefly then nodded.

"Yeah, Lil asskicker an' Glenn are setting up camp. The ol' man remembers e'erthing. He's waiting on us now."

The former cop sent him a strange look having seen the breif frown that crossed his lover's features but he stopped himself from asking about it, turning to the rest of their group.

"Alright we have five minutes to get this all packed away an' ready to go. We need to get to the farm before it gets too late."

Carl grinned, his eyes lighting up. "They remember too?"

Michonne smirked. "Why ready to see your lil southern belle?"

He blushed but his smile didn't fall. "Maybe."

Shane raised an eyebrow. "Southern belle?"

Rick shook his head and Lori's eyes narrowed but she said nothing and they packed up their gathered supplies in a relatively good mood.

"Dar, take the lead on the bike. Me, Carl, Michonne, Carol, and Sophia will follow in the car, Dale, Amy, Jim, and Jacqui in the RV, and Shane, Lori, Morgan, Duncan, and Ed in the last car. Merle, you can follow in the truck."

Daryl nodded and made a move toward the bike strapped in the bed of Merle's truck but was stopped when a small, slightly calloused hand grabbed his arm in a bruising grip.

Lori.

The woman looked furious and was staring at Rick with an angry snarl on her face, her nails biting into the soft flesh of his arm.

He fought back a flinch.

"You are not going to seperate me from my son." She snarled at his husband and for a moment her voice was overshadowed by a lower, gruffer voice.

_"You can't keep me from our son."_

"Lori let him go. Look if Carl wants to ride with you he can but you're holding us up and causing unecessary drama. Let. My Husband. Go." Rick growled lowly, eyes flashing as he saw his lover pale violently in his ex-wife's grip.

He knew exactly what he was thinking about and it hurt to think that even this long after his kidnapping it still affected him this harshly. Then again, some of the things that had been done to had been so inhumane, so degrading that it really would affect him for as long as he lived. Three years had passed since they'd saved him and it still gave him nightmares and he hadn't even been told everything.

There were some things Daryl just refused to speak about.

The woman glared at him then threw the arm away from her like it had burnt her.

"Carl, how about you ride with me okay?" Carl shook his head and sent Daryl a worried look that went ignored in favor of unstrapping the bike from the truck.

The others watched unsurely, disgusted by Lori's behavior and worried for the silent man, who'd barely spoken since the before Rick's explaination the day before.

"If y'all wanna reach the Farm before nightfall ya better hurry up." He snapped, turning and glaring at them with such a vicious tenacity that his eyes seemed to glow for a moment. They snapped into movement while he moved to the front of their caravan, ignoring them all.

He just wanted to go home.

RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^

The drive to the farm took less than ten minutes, most of which they spent listening to Lori argue with Rick over the comm and by the time they reached the farm eveyone was ready to shoot the woman. When they arrived they found that a small village of tents had been set up around a small campfire and perimeter alarms made of can surrounding the entire property. Glenn was already sitting around the fire when they arrived, a beautiful dark haired woman wrapped in his arms and a pretty blond girl sitting across from them.

Carl immediately rushed over to the blond and pulled her into a deep passionate kiss shocking all of the non-time travelers present.

Glenn snickered as did the woman in his arms.

"Let her breathe, Carl."

The teens broke apart, glaring at the couple.

"Glenn, you're my favorite older brother," Carl began. "So please be a dear and go fuck yerself."

His friend snickered, especially after Rick, Lori, and Shane sent the boy a disapproving look.

As they all took a seat around the fire, Glenn noticed that one person was missing.

"Where's Daryl?"

Merle scowled.

"O'er there talkin' to that ol' man on the porch, tryin' to avoid Queenie."

Beth frowned at Rick's ex-wife.

She hadn't really liked the woman the first time around, especially after seeing the effect her death had on Carl and Rick. If she was trying to get in between her brothers' relationship she was pretty sure it wouldn't be pretty and with how fragile both men were mentally they really didn't need her shit.

The approach of said archer and her father drew her from her thoughts and she smiled at them, standing to hug Daryl.

"Hey mama."

He scowled at her.

"Don' call me that."

"You don' mind when Judy says it."

He blushed and she smirked dodging the swipe he made at her head.

"Now, now children settle down." Her dad said chuckling and they did as bid taking their seats in front of the fire.

He nodded at them. "It's a nice night. Beth? Daryl?"

Both blushed vividly and Daryl shook his head, opening his arms as Judy crawled into his lap.

"Please mama?" She begged sleepily and he sighed.

The non-time travelers stared at their smirking counterparts in confusion wondering what the two were being asked to do. Then to their surprise the two in question nodded to each other and began to sing.

_Oh all the money that e'er I spent_

_I spent it in good company_

_And all the harm that e'er I've done_

_Alas, it was to none but me _

_And all the harm that e'er I've done_

_Alas, it was to none but me_

Everyone stared at the duo in shock, more particularly the red-necked archer. No one, not even Merle had known about his singing talent, his voice soft just as it was it was when he spoke but smoky and rich like aged whiskey. It mixed beautifully with her sweet melodious soprano and rang throughout the camp harmoniously.

_And all I've done for want of wit_

_To memory now I can't recall_

_So fill to me the parting glass_

_Good night and joy be with you all_

_Oh all the comrades that e'er I've had_

_Are sorry for my going away_

_And all the sweethearts that e'er I've had_

_Would wish me one more day to stay_

_But since it falls unto my lot_

_That I should rise and you should not_

_I'll gently rise and I'll softly call_

_Good night and joy be with you all_

_Good night and joy be with you all_

The group clapped softly, awed at the two but quickly stopped when Daryl glared at them, Judith asleep in his arms.

Luckily Rick saved him from any embarassing comments or worse, compliments, by standing and stretching.

"Alright everybody, we have alot to do tommorrow so why don't we turn in for the night. Maggie, Glenn you have first watch. _No Sex."_

The couple groaned but nodded and some of the people snickered.

Things seemed to be looking up slowly but surely...except for one problem.

Lori.

^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICKYL^.^RICYL^.^

Decisions. Decisions. Decisions.

He'd found the prison shortly after waking up in this time and had sent his men in to clear it of both walkers and inmates alike. Now he found himself at a loss of what to do with it.

On one hand it was a good source of resources, but Woodbury was fully stocked with supplies and enough food to feed his people for years. In addition the place seemed to retain a bit of the attributes of its future counterpart if the alcove with _his _archer's pancho and a sheet with the words Lil Asskicker written hanging in front of it said anything. This being said it would be incredibly hard to find any of the prison's resources because Grimes had hidden alot of them after his second attack on the place just in case he managed to actually infiltrate the place one day...paranoid bastard.

So now he found himself staring at the building from his tank with a thoughtful expression. Grimes and his "family" wouldn't be here for over three months provided they hadn't fallen back into the past as well, meaning the place would be unoccupied for a while. Then there was the matter of Merle Dixon. If everything went according to the prvios timeline then Merle would find himself trapped on the roof of a building surrounded by walkers. He'd be able to use the man to lure his darling little archer to him and maybe even seduce him before Grimes even had a chance to.

He smirked.

"Martinez, Secure the property. It seems it isn't all that resourceful after all."

His second in command sent him a confused look but nodded relaying the orders to the other men.

Soon, his plan would com into fruition and his archer would once again be in his grasp and Rick Grimes-memories or not- would pay for taking what was his.

**TBC..**

**A/N: Kodos and The Governor should be friends with their similar obsessions, lol. This chapter is actually more of a filler chapter than anything but don't worry the main action should start in say two or three more chapters.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_He was trapped._

_His wrists were bound tightly to the rails of the hospital bed he occupied, skin coated in cold sweat as he fought the restraints._

_"Lemme go!" He cried, terror racing down his spine as he struggled. His captor chuckled darkly and plunged a needle into the crook of his elbow, injecting him with dark red substance._

_" I wonder," The man began conversationally, " If vaccines are just viruses given to strengthen the body against future infection, would walker blood work like a vaccine if you inject it directly into the bloodstream?"_

_Daryl screamed in agony, a burning sensation spreading throughout his body from the injection point. He jerked against his restraints, uncaring of the steel cutting into his wrists and the blood streaming down his arms. His mind was overcome with terror and an agony so blinding he couldn't tell which way was up and which way was down._

_He struggled and screamed, thrashing wildly in every which way while his captor watched with a dark smile, one visible eye gleaming._

_"So beautiful." The man murmured and Daryl whimpered, tears streaming down his cheeks._

_"No more." He pleaded. "Please, no more."_

_The man smirked and grabbed his face. "Oh darling. We're only just beginning."_

Daryl bolted awake with a choked scream, his storm grey eyes with in terror and body trembling with remembered agony. Tears streamed down his cheeks in steady rivulets and he curled in on himself panting harshly.

Sobs wracked his slender frame and he gripped his hair, trying to force them to stop. He'd promised himself he wouldn't cry over this anymore. He'd told himself he was past it all.

So why was it still affecting him so much?

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder and he flinched violently whirling around to face the person it belonged to.

Merle stared back at him with worried grey eyes.

"Daryl? What's wrong? Why're ya cryin'?"

He stared at the man.

He'd cried for him and begged him to save him for weeks during his time in the Governor's care but he'd never shown up. When he had told Rick the man had reminded him that Merle had died only two weeks before his capture and couldn't save him...yet the man was standing right in front of him alive and healthy.

Why didn't he save him?

Wasn't he worth saving?

"Why?"

Merle frowned. "Why what?"

Daryl's gaze darkened taking on a more manic glint. "Why didn' you save me?! I begged an' screamed but ya ne'er showed up! Why?! Why'd ya leave me there?!"

The older man stared at him wide-eyed.

Just what the hell had happened to his brother in that future of theirs? What had happened to break the cool calm the younger man seemed to exude from every pore?

What had broken his baby brother?

"This is the past, Dar, remember? All that stuff in that head o' yers ain't even happened yet?"

The archer shivered and wrapped his arms around himself in a sad mimicry of a hug.

"Then why can I still feel it? Why's it still hurt?"

Merle shook his head and pulled the younger man into a gentle hug, feeling the man relax against him.

"I don' know, lil brother. I don' know."

* * *

"You've been withdrawing from me."

Daryl glanced up at from his crossbow at his husband's soft words, watching as the man took a seat beside him.

"Ain' withdrawin'." He denied and the man frowned.

"Yes you are. Why?"

He looked down but didn't speak and Rick's eyes widened when he realized just what was bothering his husband.

"It's Lori isn't it? You're afraid I'll leave you for her."

Daryl didn't respond but the small flash of insecurity that flashed in his gaze told Rick he was correct.

He sighed and cupped his husband's face. "Daryl...Lori an' I are done. I love _you_. You are mine, not her or anyone else that you think can take your place. My vows say till death do us part and they say for better or worse and I will uphold that with my life."

The archer stared at him, searching his gaze, then smiled that small sweet smile that made Rick's heart race and his cheeks burn.

"Til death do us part." He replied and the former cop kissed him chastely.

"Exactly. Til death do us part."

"Y'all good now?"

The couple glanced behind them to find their son smirking at them, blue eyes dancing with mischief.

"Yeah, we're done, ya lil shit." Daryl replied snarkily, smirking at the boy who grinned.

"Good. It been decided that we'll rest here for a few days then head out towards the prison. Hopefully we'll be able to secure it before the rotten bastard creates Woodbury."

Rick nodded and stood.

"I'll let y'all get to yer huntin' then. Be back before sunset."

Carl smirked, twirling his revolver expertly, while Daryl stood and slung his bow over his shoulder.

"Who do ya think yer talkin' too? We'll back way 'fore then." He replied before nodding to his son. The boy nodded back and with a parting smile the duo disappeared into the trees.

"Where's he going with my son?" Lori growled and Rick ignored her, walking over to a table where Hershel, Beth, Maggie, Judith, and Carol were sitting talking.

"The terrible twosome gone?" The latter asked and he nodded chuckling when Judith pouted.

"I wan'ed to go! How come Carly ge's to go an' I don'?"

The former sheriff shrugged. "It was yer mama's choice not mine."

Her pout deepened and brought her thumb up to her mouth to naw at the skin around the nail, a habit she'd no doubt picked up from Daryl. "Still ain' fair." She grumbled and the group laughed.

"They'll be back soon an' I'm sure Pookie'll let ya sit with him during his shift on watch." Carol soothed.

Rick snorted. "He hates that name an' you know it."

She smirked. "I know."

He shook his head groaning when he spotted Lori walking over to them with a coy smile on her lips.

"What do you want, Lori?" He asked in exasperation and she gave a fake pout. "I just wanted to meet my daughter, Rick." She replied before turning to Judith who scowled at her.

"You ain' my mama."

"Yes I am. No matter what that stupid red-neck slut says you are still _my _child and I will not let him take you away from me."

Judy's lips curled into a snarl and her eyes hardened into a glare worth of Daryl when he was in his worst mood. She stood and crossed her tiny arms.

"Listen here, bitch. My mama is Daryl Dixon. No' you or any other broad that says otherwise. Stay the hell away fr'm me an' my brother or I'll put a bolt straight through yer damn eyes, livin' or no'." She snarled and Lori jerked back appalled and slightly scared of the gleam in the little girl's eyes. Quickly gathering her bearings she glared at the child.

"Watch your mouth, little girl," She sneered. "Evidently your mama ain't too good of a parent if you're talkin' like that."

Judith's eyes darkened with rage.

_No one _was allowed to insult her mama. Daryl Dixon had done everything in his power to raise her, he'd given her her first nickname, and he'd been the first person to look at her with _love._ She was well aware that her daddy hadn't like her when she was born and she was aware that even Carl had been wary of her because her birth had led to their birth mother's death but Daryl wasn't like that.

She could remember his smoky voice as he sang her to sleep, could remember his trying to sooth her when he'd returned to the prison even thought wounds riddled his form. She could remember when he'd given her his pancho, his only source of warmth during the frigid winters at the prison just to make sure she wasn't cold.

Daryl was her mother, her protector...and she was his Lil Asskicker.

No one was allowed to insult him.

She raised her crossbow aiming a bolt directly between Lori's eyes.

"If you _ever _insult mama again I will _end _you." She growled lowly and the woman stared at her.

A gentle hand landed on her shoulder. "Put it down, Judy. Calm down, Baby girl." Her daddy coaxed and she slowly lowered the weapon, noticing that the entire camp was staring at them. She gave a scowl eerily reminiscent of her mother's.

"The hell y'all lookin' at?!" She snapped and they all went about the business, sharing a look that she couldn't decipher. Her father kept his hand on her shoulder, glaring at his ex-wife.

"You should go."

Lori protested. "But Rick-"

"Now, Lori."

She huffed then shot Judith a strong glare and stormed off. The girl watched her go with a scowl.

Sooner or later she'd have to set that...woman straight. She smirked darkly. Maybe she'd even get Carl to help.

**TBC...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Something had changed.

The Governor frowned deeply as he sat in his study, gazing out the window of his office with a contemplative expression.

He'd gone to Atlanta as he had the first time, hoping to find Merle Dixon again but his search had turned up nothing. Even the Quarry where he'd driven the walkers the first time around was empty and looked as if those that had occupied it had left only days previous.

Obviously something was different. His mind briefly entertained the idea that this was an alternate universe, a universe that was similar yet different to his own but he quickly dismissed the idea. No, it had to be something else. Something he was missing.

But what?

Was it Rick?

He shook his head. No if it were Rick the man would already be here, trying to kill him before he could become a threat.

Daryl?

Again, no. The hunter would rather be thousands of miles away from him, but he too would've come to killed him the second they arrived in the past, all to protect Rick's children.

His dark eyes narrowed and he growled lowly in frustration.

What was he missing?

Had he gone to the wrong place?

Had he been too late?

A hesitant knock sounded on his door and he turned, scowl twisting into a faux friendly expression.

"Come in."

Penny entered the room, smiling brightly, her lips curled into a happy smile. His faux smile melted into a real one and his heart warmed in his chest.

"Hello, Princess. Is everything alright?"

She nodded and started to ramble about one of the kids in their tiny community, her airy voice forcing his dark thoughts away. He'd think on it another time. For now, he would immerse himself in the presence of his beloved baby girl.

* * *

"What's wrong with m' brother?"

Rick looked up at the oldest Dixon, who was glaring down at him with an expression that spoke of pain if he didn't answer. The former cop sighed, putting down the stuff he'd been using to clean his gun. He had been expecting this inquisition sooner and honestly, he was surprised that Merle had held his tongue so long. Beside him, Judy scowled putting down the bolts she'd been carving for her crossbow and turning so she could listen in.

"Alot of it is Daryl's story to tell." Rick responded and Merle's glare deepened.

"_Really?_ I think I have a right to know when I wake up to find _my baby brother_ hysterical and asking me why I didn't save him from something I had no idea about."

The younger man closer his eyes pained, his heart clenching because he knew first hand how painful it was to see the powerful archer so broken after one of his nightmares. To see his strong shoulders shake with silent sobs that he tried so hard to keep to himself and hear the quiet whimpers that left his lips despite his attempts to stop them. The dreams had calmed over the years since his rescue but when they did appear they were horrible and they always left Daryl shattered.

He glanced at Judith, who pursed her lips and turned her gaze to Merle.

"He was kidnapped." She responded softly and Merle inhaled sharply. She continued as if she hadn't heard him, her blue eyes angry and full of grief as she reflected on those horrible two years that Daryl had been gone.

"There was this man, who hated Daddy and he kidnapped Ma to get back at him. He had him for two years. No one knows what exactly happened but we know it wasn't good. Ma was so..."

"Broken." Merle finished for her and she nodded while Rick looked away guiltily. No matter what anyone said, he would always blame himself for the pain Daryl had endured at the Governor's hands. The pain and the terror he still felt with every mention of the man.

Seeing this, Merle sighed and ran a hand over his head wearily.

"Wipe that look off yer face, Officer Friendly. If Daryl got kidnapped and he still wit' ya den it obviously wasn't yer fault. Blamin' yerself will only piss 'im off."

Blinking the former sheriff nodded slowly, watching as his brother-in-law stretched, uncomfortably.

"Daryl and Carl should be back soon. I'll talk to Daryl and see if I can help him a bit."

Judith shook her head.

"I'll do it. Wanted to talk to Carly 'nyways."

Rick nodded, as did Merle, both men knowing the archer would just clam up, not wanting to burden the little girl but unwilling to refuse her. Then exchanging a few more words, Merle turned and walked away with a troubled look in his eyes.

* * *

Just as Daryl had promised both He and Carl came strolling into the camp only thirty minutes before sunset, each carrying a wire holding four rabbits and covered in dirt.

"Good hunt?" Merle asked and his brother nodded, grinning a tiny grin of pride.

"Carl's a good hunting buddy unlike his pa." He said, throwing a teasing smirk in Rick's direction.

The sheriff pouted slightly, then chuckled, kissing his husband chastely. Another flash of insecurity graced those storm colored eyes but was quickly smothered and Lori gave an aggravated snort.

The couple ignored her, pulling away so that Daryl could embrace Judith.

"Mama, c'n I sit with you on watch tonight?" The child asked and he smiled warmly.

" 'course. Yer my Lil Asskicker, remember. That means ya c'n come on watch whenever ya want to as long as me or yer daddy are there."

She giggled, shocking the campers who had seen her snap on Lori earlier that day.

"He isn't your mom." Lori sneered. "I am."

Daryl glared at her, lips curling into a violent snarl.

"I've raised her since she was but a newborn pup. She is _mine._ Not yours. Not Shane's. Not Rick's. _Mine._ Carl is _mine._ And you would do well to remember that."

Lori glared back, fury dominating her delicate features.

"No! You may have stolen my husband, you filthy whore, but you will _**not**_ take my children! I may not have had her yet but she is still mine! Whether you like it or not, you will never be their _true_ mother."

Something dark and dangerous flashed in the hunter's stormy gaze, although his face remained blank.

Rick placed a hand one his husband's shoulder.

"Daryl-"

"Whore." The soft spoken word made everyone stare at the younger Dixon, who's lips slowly twisted into a dark smile.

"You fucked your husband's best friend while he was lying in a hospital dying then left him in a hospital full of Walkers with no protection but a door with his gurney pushed up against it. While he was thought to be dead you continued to fuck his friend, a union which in my future led to the birth of _my _daughter. Even now, after Rick has returned _married _ you continue to chase him. I have been married to Rick for six long years and I've known him even longer. I've never willingly been unfaithful, nor have i willingly borne another man's child. If anyone is a whore here, Lori, it's you. Stay the fuck away from my children, or you'll find yourself unable to wake in the morning."

**TBC...**

**Lori just doesn't learn does she?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

He could hear them.

Their groans and snarls, their dragging footsteps, it all echoed in his ears as if the beasts were right beside him and his gaze snapped away from Lori's glowering form to survey the tree line.

"Judy, Carl, Beth, start packing up camp. Rick we need to leave. _Now._"

Shane frowned and reached out to put a hand on the archer's shoulder only to falter when the man recoiled harshly and narrowed his eyes at him. Rick sent him an indiscernible look and turned to his husband.

"What's wrong."

"Herd." Daryl frowned in concentration, storm-colored eyes darkening as he tilted his head. "It's about ten minutes out at their pace, but its headed directly for us. We can't be here when it hits. A herd this size will wipe us out…realistically speakin."

Merle raised an eyebrow, wondering just how Daryl knew all this. After all its not like he could hear them coming…right?

"C'n ya tell how many there are?" He asked curiously.

"Somewhere between forty n' fifty."

Rick's frown deepened and Lori huffed, still miffed about the tongue lashing she received only moments before.

"You're really going to listen to him? After he just threatened me?" She asked Rick softly, hurt and he sighed.

"Lori-"

Shane cut him off. "This isn't like you man. Ever since you came back with those people you and Carl have been treating us like strangers, like we don't matter to you as much as those people do."

Rick stared at them, as if seeing them for the first time and in truth he was. For the first time he was seeing them past the shadows of their future selves, past the actions they'd taken against him and Lori's hatefully spewed words.

Beneath all the veneer and anger, Lori was scared. She was a city raised girl from a comfortably wealthy family. The apocalypse was forcing her into situations she'd never been in, situations she didn't, couldn't understand and control and it terrified her. Shane, despite the actions of his future self, was a protector before anything and it had been his tendency to protect that had led to his affair with Lori.

He looked over at Daryl who rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Rick, now ain't the time fer this, if ya ain't noticed. We need to go. _Now._"

"How far off are they?"

The hunter frowned, concentrating his keen senses on the herd headed their way.

"We've got seven minutes."

His husband nodded. "I need to talk to them." He said gesturing to Shane and Lori. Something flashed in Daryl's eyes but was quickly hidden.

"Hurry up." He replied, leading everyone else away from them. Once they were gone he turned to the two people in front of him and sighed.

"Shane, I don't love you any less than I love them. They're family too. It's just," H paused, "you two _are _strangers to us. The first time around, I was in that coma during the first month of this and the month leading up to it. When I finally reached the quarry I was met with a best friend that seemed to hate and love me at equal intervals and a wife that seemed to want nothing to do with me. This farm here? This is where I found out that my wife had been sleeping with my best friend and that said friend wanted to kill me so he could have her back. I'm trying to see you past the actions of your selves in my time…but it hard."

The couple stared at him shocked, and Lori looked down sadly.

"But what about _our_ marriage, Rick? You won't even acknowledge me as your wife. All of your attention is always on Daryl."

Involuntarily, his eyes moved to where his husband was helping pack up everything and a tiny smile curled his lips.

"I love you…but I love him more. Daryl, he saved me from a very dark place. He saved me from making several horrible decisions. Its thanks to him, that our children were able to have something of a childhood, even during the apocalypse. Daryl, he's my conscious."

"And I'm supposed to be okay with that?"

He shrugged. "You haven't been my wife in a very long time. Hell even in your time, our marriage has long since fallen in disrepair. I am happy where I am now, and I won't let anyone ruin that."

She scowled, anger masking the hurt in her eyes, before she stormed off in the direction of the cars.

Shane smiled at him and clapped him on the back, dark eyes full of the warmth that reminded Rick of how they had remained friends so long in the first place.

"I'm glad you're happy, brother."

"I am too."

"Rick," Glenn yelled from the direction of the cars. "Move your ass man, we're losing daylight!"

Rick chuckled and rolled his eyes, frowning as Daryl appeared beside him scowling.

"Two minutes. They're right behind the tree line."

The former sheriff nodded.

"Let's go."

* * *

They were going home.

A slow smile crossed Daryl's lips as he pulled away from the farm, the snarls of the walkers echoing in his ears.

They would be able to claim the prison before _he _got around to setting up Woodbury and they had more battle-able people just in case he did.

'_And if he comes for us again? We can't handle him again.' _A voice whispered in his mind and he shivered.

He'd never told anyone the full extent of what had happened to him in the governor's hands and he never would. The inhumane experiments and the torture, everything had scarred his mind in horrific ways. He hid a lot of it from his family, not wanting to worry them, but he knew if the man caught him again, his mind wouldn't survive.

If the governor came for their home again, he would kill him.

His small smile darkened into something a bit more sinister.

And if he enjoyed it, well, no one would _have_ to know.

**TBC…**

* * *

**A/N: I know its short but the next chapter will be a bit loner I promise. It gets a bit darker, a bit lighter, and The Governor makes his grand entrance.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Home.

Something seemed to relax in each of the time-travelers as they took in the looming walls of the place that had been their home for so long, reveling in the grimey walls and the walker infested yard. Only Daryl seemed to remain tense, his storm-colored gaze flitting from place to place as they set up camp in the part of the yard they'd cleared. Paranoia lined every inch of his slim frame and even as the others settled around the fire, it didn't calm in the slightest.

Surprisingly…or not depending on who you asked, Merle was the first to comment on it.

"Darylina, wha's got yer panties in a twist?"

His younger brother glanced at him.

"Someone else has been here. Look at th' yard, less Walkers. Someone's been cleanin' house."

The time-travelers tensed and looked around finally noticing what their hunter had. When they had originally arrived at the Prison the yard had been crawling with undead, now however, there were only thirty or so of them mulling around with their haunting groans and grunts.

Who had been in their home?

Were they still in it?

"Glenn, Shane, Daryl. Come with me. We need to sort this out now."

The three men nodded, the latter sending a nervous glance at the tree line. As they went Merle stared after them with a scowl.

"Why's m' brother so nervous?" He asked Judith and she bit her lip.

"This didn' happen las' time. Mama's pro'ly got 'n idea."

He nodded, glancing at the forest just in time to see a flash of something vanishing back into the darkness. He frowned and pulled his little niece closer. The girl smiled gratefully and sighed, falling into a fitful sleep.

Meanwhile, the other time travelers were tense staring off into the forest as the tension they had released upon seeing their home returned with a vengeance. Even Hershel wore a deep frown, his lips pursed as he stared off into the forest.

Shockingly, it was Carol that broke the silence a soft but strained smile on her lips.

"Did Pookie ever tell y'all how Rick lost his beard?"

Everyone stared at her, and Maggie shook her head curiously.

"Rick had a beard?" Lori asked and all of the time-travelers nodded.

"Yep. There wasn't a way to shave and he kind of liked it so he let it grow out. Daryl didn't like it though, especially after it revealed their relationship to the entire prison."

Merle raised an eyebrow. "A beard revealed their relationship?"

Carol nodded, chuckling softly. "None of us know exactly how long they were together before we found out because they hid it from everyone, even Carl. We only found out because Rick left a beard burn on Daryl's throat without him knowing. When Carl asked him about it, you'd a thought he would pass out with how bad he was blushin'."

Michonne nodded in agreement and took over. "Right afterwards, Daryl marched him up to their cell and forced him to shave his beard with a hunting knife. Couldn't have minded to much because he started letting him have a little stubble."

Everyone laughed and looked up as their missing members reappeared, a very familiar pancho cladding Daryl's slim frame.

Each of the time-traveler's grinned at the familiar cloth.

"It was still there?"

Daryl nodded, removing it and wrapping it around Judith with a glare that dare anyone to protest.

"Our prison seems to have merged with the one in this time. All of the traps and rooms are still in place, so we can just go on in."

"Any clue who was here?"

Rick shook his head.

"They didn't leave much to go on so nothing concrete." He gathered Judith in his arms.

"Let's go. We can talk about it in the morning."

* * *

"Sir, a group has taken the prison."

The Governor frowned deeply. It couldn't be Rick's group, it was too early for them to have arrived.

So who?

"How many are there?"

"Four children, and eighteen adults."

No, definitely no Rick's group. There were entirely too many people for it to be and his people.

Looks like he had to go secure the Prison again.

"Ready our men. We leave at dawn."

The man in front of him nodded, respectfully and bowed his head.

"Yes, sir."

Once he was gone, the Governor narrowed his eyes and clasped his hands together beneath his chin.

Would they even be necessary in wiping out this new group of players? After all, eeven if he didn't like Grimes he had to admit that the traps the man set surrounding all of the Prison's resources were something to be admired. Even he hadn't been able to disable the stupid things.

Whoever was at the prison now didn't stand a chance.

Still, his lips quirked into a dangerous smile, it wouldn't hurt to help the traps along.

* * *

"You lied." Daryl murmured softly as he lay curled in his husband's arms for the first time since this entire time-travel madness had started. "You and I both know exactly who was here."

Rick's arms tightened around him.

"Yes." The elder responded, knowing better than to lie to the hunter. The archer had an uncanny ability to catch him in even the smallest lie and it would only enrage him if he lied about something this serious.

"Why?"

"Would you rather deal with the madness that would be created if I tell the truth?"

"Carl and Michonne are gonna be pissed."

Rick sighed quietly and cupped his lover's face, forcing him to look up.

"They will be…but they'll get over it. We've waited too long to kill him and it needs to be done."

Daryl glared at him. "Ya think I don' know that?" He hissed. "I know better th'n anyone exactly what that bastard is capable of!"

A guilty smile crossed his husband's lips before the kissed him chastely. "I know. I'm sorry."

"His spy was in the woods." Daryl whispered and Rick nodded.

"We'll be up and ready before Dawn."

* * *

Michonne frowned deeply as she took in the pacing form of her leader, keen eyes watching as he continued to send furtive glances at the gate. Her and Daryl were both positioned in the West guard tower with Merle, while Shane, Dale and Glenn waited in the East tower, both towers having been ordered to keep their guns trained on the forest.

"What's going on Daryl?"

"He's coming." The archer whispered. Fear and hate thick in his voice and she stilled, while Merle glanced between them warily.

"Who?"

Daryl turned back to the trees, the color draining from his face as nine men emerged from the tree line armed to the teeth. The younger Dixon's gaze never left the leader, who stood mounted on a small armored truck.

The man raised an eyebrow, his sole visible eye taking in Rick, who stood with Maggie, Morgan, Jacqui, T-Dog and Carl just behind the inner fence, all of them armed and ready to fire.

"Well, well, well," The man began. "Looks like you've found your way home. Now where is he?"

He asked, his deep voice carrying easily over the silent yard.

Daryl trembled were he stood, yet the gun in his hands remained steady, aimed directly at the man's head and his expression was grim.

Merle's eyes narrowed. This was The Governor then. The man that had tortured his baby brother. The cause of those horrific dreams that left him fearing for the younger man's wellbeing. His own fingers itched to pull the trigger.

Grimes gave him a pleasant smile, as if they were old friends.

"Currently hidden and aiming a sniper at your head." He replied.

The governor's lips twisted into a vicious snarl, visible eye searching until they met storm cloud blue.

He smirked.

"Hello, _Daryl._"

**TBC…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

_Grimes gave him a pleasant smile, as if they were old friends._

"_Currently hidden and aiming a sniper at your head." He replied._

_The governor's lips twisted into a vicious snarl, visible eye searching until they met storm cloud blue._

_He smirked._

"_Hello, __**Daryl**__."_

* * *

How unexpected.

Rick Grimes and his ragtag family had managed to travel back in time and outsmart him _again._

He was seething, inwardly glaring at Grimes with everything he had in him, even as he smiled pleasantly on the outside, cold gaze linked with that of his beloved hunter's.

Fear and hatred danced in those beautiful storm colored eyes forming a chaotic mixture, and the gun aimed at his head didn't waver, even as his lover trembled at his voice.

In front of him, Grimes gave a grin full of teeth, the predator hidden in his deceptively calm gaze on full display.

"He doesn't want to speak to you." The man commented airily. "He wants to kill you. To crush your skull beneath his boots like he does a random walker. No special deaths for you."

The Governor snorted and Grimes Jr. bared his teeth at him.

"But we're so _close._" He taunted, his men behind him tensing as Grimes' eyes darkened.

"I will have him back." He continued.

The former cop flicked the safety of his gun, expression so cold it even startled a few of the people in the man's "family". People he'd never seen before.

For a moment, no one moves.

Then chaos erupted around them, a bullet soaring through the air and clipping his shoulder.

He hissed in pain, dodging another round and another all from the same direction. Around him, his men are dying, mercilessly slaughtered by the faces of grimes' camp that he does know, and a few he doesn't. _(A tall dark skinned man. A broad-shouldered dark-haired man, that stays awfully close to Grimes. Former lover, perhaps?)_

Grimes is slashing and snarling at foe and Walker alike, the mindless beasts having been attracted by the noise and converging heavily on them.

He smirks and aims the tank at the main building of the prison then fires.

It bursts into flames, debris flying through the air.

An angry roar follows.

He aims again, and fires.

Another roar, louder and angrier than the first. Grimes' fighters shudder fearfully and he grins savagely.

"Come and play, sweetheart."

* * *

He's here.

He's here and alive and Daryl is so angry so scared he can barely remember to breathe. He wants to kill, wants to hunt. He wants and wants and _wants._

Michonne is beside him, silent and furious, her keen dark eyes focused on every movement around them and Merle is on his other side, steel colored eyes full hate and fury, both hands- _both - _holding his semi-automatic like it's the only thing grounding him.

"Hello, _Daryl._"

The greeting is coy and smug, full of lust and other things he **never** wanted in the man's voice when associated with him. His finger twitches on the trigger and he is thankful when Rick draws the man's attention away from him, his husband's voice grounding him as it always did when he was dancing on the precipice of his sanity.

He listened with half an ear as the two played a word game, taunting each other, and when they finally fell silent, he fired.

A bullet entered his shoulder at the same moment ad he snarled angrily when it caused him to veer of course and cursing guns in general.

He wished he'd used his crossbow. It never failed him.

He fired again, cursing when his wound caused him to miss a second time, the third missing when the man dodged. Frustrated, he started picking off the Walkers closing in on the ground fighters, a small smile crossing his lips as Merle fired away beside him. Then the take aimed at his home and fired.

No.

_**NO!**_

The prison was the only home he'd ever had, his childhood non-withstanding and to see it going up in flames for the second time was heart wrenching. He had yearned to return to it since landing in this time of ghosts and if they lost it now, so soon after finding it again he wouldn't be able to take it.

The prison was his home. His _children's _home.

His _family's_ home.

He felt the darkness inside him surge, melding with his mind, and he let out an angry, anguish filled roar.

He felt more than saw the Governor's smug smirk before the bastard fired on his home again.

His second roar was darker, full of all the rage and hatred he held for that single human. Michonne and Merle stilled beside him, their heartbeats pounding like hummingbird wing's in his ears. He paid them no mind.

Storm blue eyes bled into black abysses and he knew no more.

* * *

Rick's head shot up from where he had been fighting back to back with Shane as a deafening roar sounded around them. His brother tensed as well, fear in his gaze.

"What the hell was that?" He hissed and Rick swallowed thickly, another roar piercing the air around them, the prison in flames behind them.

"Daryl."

Shane paled, stabbing another walker before turning to his best friend/brother incredulously.

"You're joking right?"

A blue and black blur shot passed them, heading in the direction of the Governor's tank and Rick cursed.

"Fuck! No. C'mon." He ran after his husband praying that he made it in time to prevent his lover from doing something monumentally stupid.

He knew how much Daryl liked the prison, how much it felt like home to his husband who had never had a true home in the first place.

If it fell, he knew Daryl would take down whoever destroyed it, no matter the cost to himself.

* * *

Merle was fucking terrified.

His little brother had changed drastically in the future it seemed. More so than even the other time-travelers knew if the katana chick's face was any indication.

Watching Daryl's eyes change from their normal blue to a demonic black that bled into his sclera was horrific. The only thing scarier than that was the thin two inch fangs that followed, a black liquid beading on the tip of one before his brother vanished.

"What the fuck?" He breathed, and Michonne swallowed beside him, her hand trembling slightly.

"I have no clue…but I'm kicking Rick's ass for this."

Merle barked out a laugh and collapsed, focusing on trying to return his heartbeat to normal.

* * *

"Lemme go, ya fucker!" Judith yelled angrily, fighting against the iron grip on her arm as the Governor dragged her over toward his tank. She had no clue when he'd left it and it had cost her.

Before the man could get all the way there, a blur tackled him, forcing him to let go of her.

She scrambled back, tightening her grip on her crossbow, even as the blur took a familiar form.

Her mama sat atop the Governor snarling like a walker and teeth bared, a black liquid dripping from his fangs.

Fear flashed in the monster's eyes as he looked upon his creation before an unholy smirk lit his face.

"Ready to play?"

Her mama snarled and stood, yanking him to his feet then slamming him face first in the ground.

He stood and shook it off, chuckling when he saw Judy. He raised his gun.

"I don't play with children."

A shot was fired and the sound that left her mother's lips was something hellish. Something she never wanted to hear again. He lunged and she closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over.

She wanted her mama back.

**TBC…**


	12. Chapter 12

**WARNING: Allusions to stillbirth and non-con. TRIGGER WARNING!**

**Chapter Twelve**

"_I don't play with children."_

_A shot was fired and the sound that left her mother's lips was something hellish. Something she never wanted to hear again. He lunged and she closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over._

_She wanted her mama back._

* * *

He couldn't breathe.

All around him, chaos reigned, his family fighting the beasts both living and dead, that attacked their burning home but his focus was on one.

The beast before him was handsome, visage deceptively opposite of its nature and he longed to expose its true self to the world. Everyone, _everything _deserved to know of the horrors behind the monster, his _creator's_ mask.

They deserved to know how he was created, to see the beasts true face and he would be the one who revealed it all.

His onyx gaze flitted to the child hiding slightly behind him, crossbow trained on him even as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Mama," She whimpered and he turned away.

"Mama," She called again but he ignored her, focusing on The Governor. He would protect her, even if it cost him his life…and his revenge.

* * *

"_**You're not what I expected when I pictured Merle's brother." Crooned a voice and Daryl snarled, fighting against the restraints binding his slim form to the bed.**_

_**A rough hand ghosted across his naked flesh making it crawl in revulsion and he swallowed roughly at the lust in those dark eyes.**_

"_**You look nothing alike, to be honest. He's callous but **_**you**_**," A zipper sounded and his heart began to pound viciously in his ears. "You're almost pretty. Too pretty."**_

_**His struggles grew wilder, fear blanketing every thought in his mind until rationalization was nothing but a distant memory.**_

"_**The perfect wife," His heart sank in his chest as his legs were forced apart and he was distantly aware of a slight pinch near his ankle.**_

_**All too suddenly lethargy took over, slowing his movements and terror flooded him. He let out an involuntary whimper and the Governor chuckled.**_

"_**Don't worry, dear. This is only the beginning."**_

_**The scream that left his throat when he was entered violently, wouldn't be his last by far.**_

* * *

_**How long had he been here?**_

_**Days? Weeks? Months? Years?**_

_**He didn't know.**_

_**Was there anyone looking for him? When he was younger he'd only had Merle…but Merle was dead, killed by the very man holding him captive and the thick, dirty silver color around his throat never failed to remind of that fact.**_

_**Rick would look for him, wouldn't he? The former cop had searched for Sophia where she'd gone missing, and Lori and Carl before that. He'd looked for Glenn and Maggie when they'd gone missing too. He would search for Daryl, was probably only seconds away from finding him and then he would be free. He shivered, pressing his naked frame closer to the grimy bars of his cage as the Governor's bedroom door opened.**_

_**He wouldn't beg.**_

_**Not for freedom.**_

_**Not for Food.**_

_**Not for his sanity.**_

_**His cage was opened and he struggled against the strong hand that dragged him from it by his hair, the muzzle on his mouth the only thing stopping him from biting the hell out of his assailant…again.**_

_**The Governor snarled angrily and threw him down on his bed, taking him violently. When he finished, he pulled out and smirked down at the hunter who lay silent, staring up at the ceiling.**_

_**He wouldn't beg.**_

* * *

_**This…this wasn't possible.**_

_**It explained so much, however.**_

_**The Governor had been…kinder to him for the past two weeks, allowing him to wash and feeding him more than just the scraps from dinners. The man had even allowed him to sleep in an actual bed, something he'd been denied since entering captivity six months ago. He hadn't questioned it at the time, his weary mind just grateful for the reprieve even if he was shackled to it whenever he was free of his cage.**_

_**Now, staring at the Governor's doctor who looked back with a pitying expression, he found himself wishing it was something else.**_

_**The Governor smiled proudly, eyes full of possession and he curled around his abdomen protectively.**_

_**Anything, anything else.**_

* * *

_**He was hiding.**_

_**It had been easier than he'd thought to play complacent so that the Governor had gotten comfortable enough to loosen his chains enough where he could easily slip them off and he'd immediately taken the first chance to run.**_

_**Now he was hidden behind the boiler in the main store house, his distended abdomen making it hard for him to curl as tight as he wanted to. His child kicked, sensing his stress and he rubbed his stomach soothingly even as his own heart beat pounded in his ears like rapid peals of thunder.**_

_**He had chained the doors of the room to make it difficult for the man to enter but his collar only reminded him that he was delaying the inevitable.**_

_**Fists pounded at the door.**_

_**"You can't keep me from our son!" The man taunted and Daryl paled curling tighter around his unborn child.**_

_**The pounding got louder before the door came off the hinges and he was yanked from his hiding spot.**_

_**The stillness of his child when he gave birth that night reminded that fate was often crueler to the Dixon's than it was to anyone else.**_

* * *

_**He was free.**_

_**Emptiness spread throughout his entire being as he stared up at the vision in front of him, taking in worried but kind blue eyes and the beard darkening a weary face.**_

_**After two long, horrifying years, he was finally being rescued from his prison and yet…he wasn't happy.**_

_**There was no sudden weight lifted off his shoulders, no sudden light at the end of the tunnel.**_

_**It just…happened.**_

_**The Governor had vanished to deal with a league of intruders and while Daryl would've once believed it was Rick and the others finally coming to his rescue he had long given up on such a thing. **_

_**So why now?**_

_**He stared at Rick, at Glenn, at Michonne and he couldn't understand it.**_

_**Why was it when he'd finally given up on life that they decided to reappear? Finally decided to save him.**_

_**Desolate grey eyes slid shut, forcing him away from the phantoms, and he slipped into unconsciousness, hoping it all would make sense when he awakened.**_

* * *

A horrific sound, a cross between a roar of fury and a vengeful scream echoed through the air, drawing the attention of everyone living and dead alike.

The Walkers, entranced by the sound, abandon their quests for food and moved toward the source, shuffling forward with soft snarls and groans. The Grimes, fighters, the only humans left on the battlefield fell back, eyes searching for the sound as the shuffled closer to their burning home. Hershel lowered his head, then faced the others.

"Start putting out the fires and salvaging what can be salvaged." He ordered and Lori glared at him.

"What about the others?! Rick and Shane are still out there!"

"Judith!" Carl cried as his baby sister ran over to them, her tiny face covered in tears. Blood dripped down her arm, but there wasn't a wound on her.

She ignored them all, rushing straight into her brother's arms.

"It's mama, Carl." She sobbed and his arms tightened around her, his own eyes burning.

"He'll be alright." He promised hoarsely. "They all will."

He hoped he wasn't lying.

* * *

He was beautiful.

A gorgeous nightmare, with his slender frame and abyssal gaze, he was something out of a grade A horror film.

He had created this beast.

He let out an elated laugh, shooting at the creature, who snarled when the bullet lodged itself into his stomach. Claws swung at him, barely missing his throat, leaving four shallow cuts in their wake and he chuckled cruelly.

"So beautiful." He cooed and Daryl growled at him, thick black poison dripping from his fangs and down his chin.

"Daryl!" He scowled as Grimes approached and called out his beloved's name.

"Daryl, Come back, darlin'." The man coaxed and his beast froze, then jerked a confused snarl leaving his lips.

The dark haired man from before moved to Grimes' side, eying Daryl anxiously.

"Rick, man I don't think this is a good idea." He urged and The Governor smirked.

"You should listen to you friend, Grimes. Look around you…The dead are coming and they're hungry."

The man didn't even look at him and he scowled only to gasp as he was tackled to the ground by his beloved, claws held high above his head.

"Daryl." He crooned lowly and the monster slowly calm, eyes melding back into their original storm blue even as he brought the claws down and plunged them into The Governor's chest.

The man beneath him gasped in agony then smirked.

The last thing he saw before his eyes went shut were three Walkers latching their teeth into his killer's tanned skin and Grimes' scream of anguish.

**TBC..**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

No.

_NO!_

Rick's heart stilled in his chest as three walkers latched onto his lover, tears blurring his gaze when the archer let out a pained gasp.

This couldn't be happening. He would've been able to handle it if it were anyone else, but not Daryl. The hunter had been his rock since the very beginning, even if at the time they'd met he'd had every reason to hate him. If it weren't for Daryl he would've given up when Sophia had gone missing, what little hope he'd had since the start of this nightmare vanishing with the little waif like girl. Now, almost ten years later, it was all flashing before his eyes and he knew that whatever sound left his throat wasn't human.

He raced forward, heart pounding when Daryl knifed the three Walkers attached to him, blood staining his skin like a macabre costume. The wounds left behind were deep, glistening in the high midday sun and it was all he could do not to cry.

There was no coming back from wounds like that.

His husband stumbled toward him, blue eyes clearer than they had been since they'd arrived in this time, and free of the shadows that had plagued them for years. He let out a choked sob and pulled the man into his arms, watching awestruck as a small genuine smile danced across the younger man's thin lips.

"Daryl?"

"Scared the hell outta Lil Asskicker…tell 'er I'm sorry?"

Rick shook his head, watching the eyes he loved so much, slowly cloud over. "Tell her yourself."

Daryl's lips quirked and he curled closer to Rick gasping in pain.

"Do it where they can't see?"

The former cop shook his head. "Not yet. _Please._" He whimpered brokenly, burying his face in his husband's hair. Shane looked away from the two, heart aching for his friend. Distantly, he could hear the calls of their family, but it didn't register as he took in the heart wrenching scene in front of him.

"I love you. I love you._ I love you_." His friend sobbed out, arms tightening around his dying lover and the hunter smile up at him, an expression Shane never thought would seem so at home on the man's face.

"I know." He whispered back, eyes sliding closed. "I know…"

For a moment all was silent, then Rick stood, curls shadowing his eyes as he cradled Daryl's limp body in his arms like it was the most precious thing he'd ever held.

Shane reached out to place a hand on his shoulder but was brushed off, his brother's lips curling into a savage sneer.

"Don't."

"Rick, man you gotta-"

"_**Leave me alone!" **_Rick roared angrily, pulling the corpse closer and Shane jerked away.

He shook his head, seeing the unstable gleam in his friend's eyes. There was no point trying to reason with him while he was like this, something he'd learned after the younger man's parents had died. Instead he sighed and turned to head back to the others.

"I hope you know what you're doing, brother." He whispered, before walking away.

When he reached the group he found them all unusually solemn, hope gleaming in their eyes and his heart sank.

Carol was the first to speak.

"Where's Rick?"

He swallowed. "He's with Daryl."

Merle frowned at him, then paled, faltering back a step.

"No…" He'd never known Merle Dixon could sound so broken.

"Merle-"

"Where's m' brother? Please Walsh, _Shane, _where is Daryl?"

"He got bit."

Everyone froze, then a low broken sound left Judith who collapsed to her knees sobbing. Carl looked eerily blank but held his sister in his arms tenderly.

Hershel, however, smiled.

Shane wanted to punch him.

"How can you smile like that? Daryl is dead!"

"You said he was bit."

Shane nodded.

"Then he'll be fine."

Merle glared at him, lips curled viciously.

"Explain."

The elderly veterinarian sighed.

"The way it was explained to me… the Governor wanted a weapon strong enough to survive the Walkers surrounding the prison, one that could withstand the bite. So while he had Daryl in captivity he experimented on him. He injected him with walker blood, using the virus as a vaccine but instead of turning Daryl into a walker it turned him into something else. Something _more_."

Hope built in everyone's gaze.

"What does that mean?"

Hershel gave a genial smile.

"Daryl might still be alive."

* * *

He felt numb.

The body in his arms was still warm, blood congealing around gruesome wounds and he knew he would have to do…it before his lover was reanimated into one of those things. He wouldn't be able to handle seeing his fearsome hunter like that, lifeless and mindless, not like Lori had in their first timeline.

Seeing Daryl as a walker would shatter everything he had left.

Slowly, he carried his lover's body to the roof where they'd first made love, paying the debris and dying flames no mind. Taking a seat against the wall, he repositioned the body carefully, taking a moment to stroke the soft locks of his beloved's hair.

Daryl always looked so innocent when he was sleeping and even now, with his body covered in dirt and blood, he carried that look. It was one reason why he'd always strived to wake before the hunter.

When he slept all the stress and tension drained from him, leaving him pliant and seemingly years younger, it was something he'd cherished as he watched the man grow wearier and wearier by the day. Now in death, that tension was permanently gone and he felt an echo of relief deep, deep down under the grief and emptiness encasing his heart.

With a soft broken sigh, he removed his knife from it's sheath, and leaned forward, pulling the still form up with him. Pressing his lips to Daryl's still warm ones, he froze, eyes wide.

A soft, warm flutter of breath touched his skin, and now with the still form so close to him he could feel a steady but slow heartbeat, almost unnoticeable to his human ears.

A wide smile crossed his lips and he sobbed in pure relief, dropping the knife to pull his lover as close as he could.

Daryl was alive.

He was _alive!_

It was all over and they…

They were free.

**TBC...**

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the wait, the ending of this chapter decided it didn't want to be written and I spent three days writing it over and over until I got one I was mildly satisfied with. Anyways, R&amp;R!**


	14. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Rebuilding the prison was a surprisingly easy task.

With more fighters than the first time around and more than enough spare material in the town nearby it had only taken two months to rebuild their home and to clear out most of the walkers plaguing it. The walkers that hadn't been killed were moved from the inside of the prison to the space between the fences to be used as a defense against invaders if anyone tried to get into their home. They also managed to set up a system for watches and replant most of their crops and keep their existence from the Woodbury community.

Things wear going fine, better than they had been in a long time and it made Rick's heart ache that his lover was unable to see it.

Daryl had slipped into a deep sleep and had yet to awaken since collapsing after his battle with the governor. Everyone took turns doting on the unconscious archer, knowing that if he woke and found them all fussing over him there would be hell to pay.

No one was a worse patient that an anxious Daryl Dixon.

All the while, Merle watched them, watched how they treated his brother, and was content.

His brother had people who cared about him, people who wouldn't abandon him or hurt him and it was all he'd ever hoped for. Carol walked passed, shooting him a sassy smile and a slight smirk crossed his lips.

He'd even found a little love of his own, something he'd never known could happen to someone like him. Someone broken and hardened by the world around them. He couldn't have been more wrong.

* * *

"Judy misses you. She hasn't stopped rambling about that hunting trip y'all are supposed to go on, and how as soon as you wake up you'd better make her some squirrel stew because dad doesn't make it right."

Lori frowned as she peaked into the cell that Dixon was in to find _her _son at the man's bedside rambling on with a sad smile on his lips. Ever since this whole time-travel thing he'd behaved like he didn't' know her and while logically she knew that it was because she was dead in his future, it didn't stop it from hurting.

She had managed to rebuild he relationship with Shane and had even gained a tentative friendship with Rick, but her children, both of them kept her at a distance, only interacting with her if they had to. With Judith, she understood that Daryl had been her parent her entire life, even more so than Rick, but she didn't understand why Carl was treating her the way he was. She had raised him his whole life, even while Rick was too busy on the police force to have much to do with him.

So why?

Why didn't he love her anymore?

Why did he listen to Dixon faster than he'd ever listened to her?

She bit her lip, eyes burning with tears she didn't dare shed.

"I know you're there." Carl stated calmly, his eyes never leaving Dixon's prone form. Hesitantly, she moved into the room and took a seat beside him, feeling a small tinge of sympathy for the man lying unconscious in the bed.

She'd never seen him look so small.

"You have questions." Her son stated and she nodded.

"Why him?" She replied and the teen sighed, looking much older than his fifteen years.

"You died," He began, eyes distant. "You died and then you came back as one of _them _and Dad broke. He couldn't- wouldn't shoot you…so I did. Daryl was there. He was there to care for Judy when Dad refused to even look at her and he was there to save me. No one but Daryl knows that I almost killed myself the night you died."

Lori gasped.

"I couldn't handle it all. One parent was dead, the other lost to the terrors of his own mind and I thought anything, _anything_ was better than that. When everyone went to sleep, I took my gun and I went up to the roof, which, in hindsight, was a stupid thing to do. I forgot that it was Daryl's territory since he refused to sleep in a cell, and then when I put the gun in my mouth, he stopped me. He gave me a tongue-lashing from hell then punched me for being a 'fuckin' dumbass'. He reminded me that there was still a reason to live and made me promise not to do it again. He told me if I tried he'd beat the hell out of me then put a bolt between my eyes himself because there wasn't no way in hell that he was gonna let me die in peace."

A small smile crossed the woman's lips, and she felt a wave of gratitude wash over her for the hunter. He'd saved her baby boy and her daughter and had asked for nothing in return.

"He promised not to tell anyone but I thought he was lying…he didn't tell. No one knows, not even dad. That was the day he earned my trust. He became my confident, my guide while dad was too broken to do anything but drown in his own memories. Then as a prank I taught Judith to call him mama because he always reminded me of how you treated me when I was little and the name just stuck. When he saved dad, it only cemented his role as our mother."

Her son stood and kissed her cheek. "I love you, no matter how it may seem, I do. But you have to face the fact that you haven't been my mother for a long _long_ time." He turned to leave. "Just get to know him, mom. Daryl isn't who you think he is."

She watched him leave them looked down at the prone man who had saved what seemed like her entire family.

"Thank you." She whispered softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek. He stirred, storm blue eyes fluttering open and she jerked back in surprise. Daryl smiled at her, his gaze soft.

"I should get Rick." She said but he shook his head.

"Ya heard the kid," He rasped. "We need to talk."

She bit her lip hesitantly but sat back down all the same.

* * *

Rick smiled as he leaned in the doorway of his cell watching his ex-wife and his husband talk, Lori giggling at something Daryl had told her.

Of all the scenes he had expected when he had returned from his watch this hadn't even crossed his mind but it was heartwarming none the less. Still, as much as he was dreaded to interrupt their bonding, he needed to talk to Daryl alone, if only to affirm to himself that the other was alright, so he shuffled a bit to draw their attention.

Daryl, of course, was the first to look up and when he did, he smiled, causing something to settle in Rick's chest.

His family was safe, his lover was awake and fully healed, and they'd been given a second chance.

The world was nowhere near perfect, not with the apocalypse going on outside the walls of their home but for just that one second, everything was right in his world, and it was a feeling he would cherish until the end of time.

**FIN~**

* * *

**A/N: And it's finally finished. I had planned this to be short, only three of four chapters but somehow it got away from me and this happened. Anyways, that's it for this story, I won't be writing a sequel because frankly I have no clue where it would go. However, I do have a few more ideas for this verse that might be oneshots if I decide to write them. R&amp;R**


End file.
